Arizona’s Salad Bowl becomes fertile ground for Covid-19
YUMA, Ariz. — The Rev. Emilio Chapa was delivering a homily on a recent Sunday when he paused to lament a sight that had shaken him as he entered the sacristy before Mass.
The board where his staff posted requests for funeral services was covered...
Lockwood 4-H hosts virtual record book workshops
LOCKWOOD — Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Lockwood 4-H Club has managed to stay active with several events.
On Feb. 13, the club hosted the first of three County Record Book Workshops. Of the 14 4-H clubs in Monterey County, eight of those clubs had members...
From dry to drenched — How local farmers deal with drastically changing conditions
After more than four years of devastating drought, 2017 saw California receive the wettest winter in more than 100 years.
Wine festival features four days of activities
Ranked 11th by last year’s U.S. food and wine festival calendar critics, the 2017 Paso Robles Wine Festival is scheduled for May 18-21.
Rio Farms, Ag Against Hunger partner to help end hunger
Ag Against Hunger recently partnered with Rio Farms in King City for a produce field gleaning, with dozens of volunteers coming out to help harvest for the hungry.
Greenfield High receives Farm to School grant
GREENFIELD — South Monterey County Joint Union High School District (SMCJUHSD) will launch two farm-to-cafeteria educational programs between Greenfield High School and the district’s Food Services Department.
The first-of-its-kind collaboration was made possible by a new grant from the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s...
Salinas Valley Fair returns with ‘thrills’ this week
KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair will bring “Golden Hills & Fair Time Thrills” for its 80th celebration taking place Thursday through Sunday at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City.
“We are so excited to celebrate the 80th Annual Salinas Valley Fair, May 16-19,”...
Taking the vaccine into the fields to help vulnerable farmworkers
CALIFORNIA — Before state officials announced that 40% of California's new vaccine doses would go to low-income communities, leaders were struggling to make good on promises to prioritize vulnerable Californians in the vaccine rollout.
As my colleague Miriam Jordan recently wrote, farmworkers were among those...
Beltran named 2025 Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation Scholarship winner
KING CITY — Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation has announced Valeria Beltran, a junior at Gonzales High School, as the recipient of the 2025 Heritage Foundation Scholarship.
As this year’s winner, Beltran will raise the official Heritage Animal, a hog she has named “Zero,” and...
Covid-19, wildfires present challenges for Salinas Valley winery
SALINAS VALLEY — Standing in his vineyard as a brisk wind runs amuck with his curly, sandy-blonde hair, Denis Hoey reveals why the Salinas Valley region — known for its vast agriculture — should also be noted for fine winemaking.
“We make wines here that...

















